The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At the movies
Looking for a good movie to see this weekend? Check out our capsule reviews of what’s in theaters now.
NOW PLAYING “Brad’s Status”
C+ A man questions his “status” as he tours colleges with his son and thinks about his friends and their successes. The film ends with a beautiful revelation, rendered with a gentle touch. Starring Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams and Jenna Fischer. Directed by Mike White. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for language. At AMC Parkway Pointe, Lefont Sandy Springs and Tara Theatre. 1 hour, 41 minutes.
“Friend Request”
D+ A popular college girl accepts a friend request from someone she doesn’t know and soon her friends begin dying violently one by one. Despite a few well-time jump scares, the film never really builds much tension. Starring Alycia Debnam-Carey and William Moseley. Directed by Simon Verhoeven. Rated R for horror violence, disturbing images and language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 32 minutes.
“Kingsman: The Golden Circle:
D A drug lord in the Cambodian jungle decides to hold the world hostage by infecting drug users with a mysterious virus in order to push through legalization of all drugs. The film is flippant, fueled by pop references, a nonsensical plot and adolescent body humor. Starring Taron Egerton, Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. Directed by Matthew Vaughn. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for sequences of strong violence, drug content, language throughout and some sexual material. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 21 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE This one is too violent, extreme and sexually suggestive for kids. Older teens only.
“The Lego Ninjago Movie”
C+ A Lego ninja crew battles the evil villain in an attempt to save their town. The emotional story isn’t there and this one doesn’t come close to the high-key antics of the first two films in the series. Starring Dave Franco, Justin Theroux and Jackie Chan. Directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, and Bob Logan. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG for some mild action and rude humor. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 41 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE Fine for kids of all ages, though maybe a bit too intense for very young children.
“Polina”
B A young dancer abandons her plan to join the ballet and moves instead to France to study with a modern dance teacher before rediscovering her expression of self. It’s a pretty little fairy tale about what it means to be more than pretty. Starring Juliette Binoche, Anastasia Shevtsova and Niels Schneider. Directed by Valerie Muller and Angelin Preljocaj. In Russian and French with subtitles. (Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post) Unrated but contains a threat of violence, brief strong language and mild sensuality. At Landmark’s Midtown Art. 1 hour, 52 minutes.
“Stronger”
B Jeff was at the finish line of the Boston Marathon when the bomb went off and he lost both his legs. It’s not always easy to watch, but it feels like a realistic description of one man’s life. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany. Directed by David Gordon Green. (Stephanie Merry, Washington Post) Rated R for strong language, graphic images of bomb injuries, brief nudity and sex. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 59 minutes.
“Viceroy’s House”
C+ Lord Mountbatten and his wife are dispatched in 1947 to oversee India’s transition from British rule to independence but deep religious and cultural differences proves no easy undertaking. The movie accomplishes a difficult task, but the melodrama is a bit much. Starring Hugh Bonneville and Gillian Anderson. Directed by Gurinder Chadha. (Stephanie Merry, Washington Post) Unrated. At Landmark’s Midtown Art. 1 hour, 46 minutes.
“Year by the Sea”
C Instead of following her husband to relocate in Kansas, an empty nester retreats to Cape Code to rediscover herself and finds a spirited mentor who helps. Based on a real-life travelogue/ spiritual journey bestseller, it’s not quite a hearty chowder of emotional highs and lows, but more a Campbell’s-Soup version of getting one’s groove back. Starring Karen Allen and Yannic Bisson. Directed by Alexander Janko. (Susan Wloszczyna, Washington Post) Unrated but contains brief strong language and adult situations. At Tara Theatre. 1 hour, 56 minutes.
STILL SHOWING “American Assassin”
D+ A young man loses everything in a terrorist attack and is sent to an unlicensed training camp where he is conditioned to become an assassin. It’s another legitimation of psychopathic men, presented as heroes doing official government work. Starring Dylan O’Brien and Michael Keaton. Directed by Michael Cuesta. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for strong violence throughout, some torture, language and brief nudity. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 51 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE Extremely, extremely violent. For mature teens only.
“Annabelle: Creation:
B A couple takes in six orphan girls and two of them begin to see spooky apparitions. The recipe is one we’ve seen before, but the artistry of the sinister shots are what make this movie scary. Starring Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman and Lulu Wilson. Directed by David F. Sandberg. (Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post) Rated R for violence and terror. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 49 minutes.
“Atomic Blonde”
C+ A secret agent is dispatched to recover a microfilm that contains a list of foreign agents working in and around Berlin. The film fumbles on its own tale though it is a visual cinematic delight. Starring Charlize Theron, James McAvoy and John Goodman. Directed by David Leitch. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for sequences of strong violence, language throughout, and some sexuality/nudity. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 55 minutes.
“Baby Driver”
B+
A baby-faced getaway driver owes a crime boss and drives his crew around to pay off his debts. The film marries sight and sound and will steal a chunk of the summer’s box office. Starring Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey and Lily James. Directed by Edgar Wright. (Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times) Rated R for violence and language throughout. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 53 minutes.
“Beach Rats”
A Frankie, one of a young group of Coney Island hoodlums, is hiding his homosexuality as he tentatively explores local gay dating sites and eventually meets up with a few men for hookups. It’s a coming-of-age story that is explored with a deep sense of interiority and empathy. Starring Harris Dickinson, Madeline Weinstein and Kate Hodge. Directed by Eliza Hittman. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language. At Landmark’s Midtown Arts. 1 hour, 35 minutes.
“The Big Sick”
B+ A Pakistani Muslim immigrant who is trying to make it in the stand-up comedy world falls for a white American woman but keeps it from his family, who wants him to wed a South Asian Muslim. There’s enough humor to keep the whole thing from being heavy-handed and it really makes a big impact. Starring Kumail Nanjiani, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano and Zoe Kazan. Directed by Michael Showalter. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Rated R for strong language including sexual references. At Landmark’s Midtown Arts, Regal Hollywood 24 and GTC Merchants Walk. 1 hour, 59 minutes.
“Columbus”
B+ In town to nurse his sick father, a man meets a younger local woman and they become deeply connected, if only because they both need a true friend. It’s melancholy without being morose and the drama is realistic. Starring John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson and Rory Culkin. Directed by Kogonada. (Stephanie Merry, Washington Post) Unrated but contains strong language. At Landmark’s Midtown Arts. 1 hour, 44 minutes.
“Crown Heights”
B A native of Trinidad is convicted in 1980 for a murder he didn’t commit and his childhood friend is relentless in his efforts to get the sentence overturned. Based on a true story, it’s a film a that will cause conversations, but it feels a bit rushed at the end. Starring Lakeith Stanfield, Nnamdi Asomugha and Natalie Paul. Directed by Matt Ruskin. (Rick Bentley, Tribune News Service) Rated R for language, nudity, violence. At Regal Atlantic Station. 1 hour, 39 minutes.
“The Dark Tower”
C In an adaptation of Stephen King’s tale, the last Gunslinger is locked in a battle with the Man in Black to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. The film hints at a horrific and fascinating story, it has problems with scope, which results in problems with stakes, and emotional attachment. Starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. Directed by Nikolaj Arcel. Rated PG-13 for thematic material including sequences of gun violence and action. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 35 minutes.
“Despicable Me 3 ”
C Gru and wife Lucy set out to capture the new bad guy and steal back a diamond. It’s good, but it only aspired to be good enough when it could have been great. Starring the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig and Trey Parker. Directed by Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin and Eric Guillon. (Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post) Rated PG for some mild rude humor and action. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 31 minutes.
“Detroit”
C+ After police raided an illegal after-hours bar in Detroit in 1967, a disturbing and harrowing scene happens at an dive motel when a group of officers turn against innocent suspects. This historical drama is an artfully frazzle mosaic of suffering and comes quite close to meeting the challenge of dramatizing civil unrest. Starring John Boyega, Jacob Latimore and Will Poulter. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. (Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune) Rated R for strong violence and pervasive language. At Austell Stadium, Picture Show at Merchants Exchange and AMC Camp Creek. 2 hours, 23 minutes.
“Dunkirk”
A This is the tribute to the 1940 evacuation of more than 300,000 British soldiers from a French beach under heavy fire from German soldiers and planes, aided by a flotilla of small boats captained by civilians. The audience is put on the beach with these young men and everything is bigger, realer, in images that are equally breathtaking and terrifying. Starring Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy and Kenneth Branagh. Directed by Christopher Nolan. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for intense war experience and some language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 46 minutes.
“The Emoji Movie”
D The “meh” emoji has a glitch and he makes his way through the phone trying to fix himself, but ends up becoming a new, more evolved emoji while trying to prevent the user from restoring the phone to factory settings. There aren’t any real jokes, but the film isn’t terrible. It’s just that there are better ways to spend your time. Starring the voices of T.J. Miller, James Corden and Anna Faris. Directed by Tony Leondis. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG for rude humor. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 26 minutes.
“Girls Trip”
B A woman invites her friends along on a business trip to New Orleans and things get raunchy, randy and funny. The film balances potty humor with heartfelt female empowerment. Starring Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish and Queen Latifah. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, pervasive language, brief graphic nudity, and drug material. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 2 minutes.
“The Glass Castle”
C+ A successful Manhattan woman looks back on her childhood living with her father who couldn’t keep a job and was avoiding bill collectors and her mother. Based on a novel, the coming-of-age film will have its tearjerking moments, but sometimes undercuts itself by spelling things out rather than hinting at them. Starring Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. (Stephanie Merry, Washington Post) Rated PG-13 for disturbing examples of family dysfunction, some strong language and smoking. At metro theaters. 1 hours, 7 minutes.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
A The guardians are back to protect the Anulax batteries from an alien starbeast. There’s a lot of humor resulting from efforts to look cool and family is the theme, which manages to evoke genuine, deep feelings. Starring Chris Pratt, Bradley Coooper, Zoe Saldana and Vin Diesel. Directed by James Gunn. (Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post) Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and brief suggestive content. At Picture Show at Merchants Exchange. 2 hours, 17 minutes. “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” D+ When a bodyguard is taxed with protecting a hitman who is supposed to testify against a Belarussian dictator, the jaunt to court proves eventful. The violence is dull, the cinematic geography is mush and the stunts aren’t particularly thrilling. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek. Directed by Patrick Hughes. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for strong violence and language throughout. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 58 minutes.
“Home Again”
B A woman returns to her father’s L.A. pad with her daughters to get back on her feet when her world is rocked by the arrival of three 20-something men. The sharp screenplay is modern and sly, universally relatable and poignant at times too. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Candice Bergen and Pico Alexander. Directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for some thematic and sexual material. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 37 minutes.
“It”
B Children begin to disappear in the small town of Derry and a group of teens face off against Pennywise, the creepy clown killer. Based on Stephen King’s novel, the film works not because of its supernatural scares, but because of the characters at the center of its tale. Starring Sophia Lillis, Bill Skarsgård and Finn Wolfhard. Directed by Andy Muschietti. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for violence/horror, bloody images, and for language. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 15 minutes.
“Mother!”
B A young couple’s happy home is disrupted when uninvited guests show up and make themselves at home. It builds to a crescendo and is open enough to make it deeply personal and universal. Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem. Directed by Darren Aronofsky. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for strong disturbing violent content, some sexuality, nudity and language. At metro theaters. 2 hours. PARENTS GUIDE Too violent and mature for kids. OK for mature teens only.
“Logan Lucky”
B+ A good old boy gathers his kin to pull off a robbery at a NASCAR raceway in Steven Soderbergh’s return from retirement. It’s a bank heist procedural packed with vibrant, mostly lovable characters. Starring Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Seth MacFarlane. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. (Colin Covert, Star Tribune-Minneapolis) Rated PG-13 for language and some crude comments. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 59 minutes.
“The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature”
D+ The mayor is trying to destroy the park to turn it into an amusement park and it’s up to the animals to save it. The film is an adequate babysitter, but fails to inspire. Starring the voices of Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph, Jackie Chan and Katherine Heigl. Directed by Cal Brunker. (Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle) Rated PG. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 31 minutes.
“Wind River”
C+ A fish and wildlife service tracker comes across a body of a Native American girl frozen and calls in the FBI. Inspired by true events, a tense showdown turns the movie from a character-drive procedural into a visceral exploitative pulp. Starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. Directed by Taylor Sheridan. (Ann Hornaday, Washington Post) Rated R for strong violence, a rape, disturbing images and language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 47 minutes.